The purpose of the training was to strengthen bonds between military and local police and to practice communicating with one another in the event they must come together during a real life scenario.

The scenario used by the police stations featured role-played terrorists attempting to smuggle weapons and money onto Camp Courtney.

“The Uruma P.D. didn’t play a role in the beach landing part of the scenario,” said Lt. B. Linston, a platoon commander with Camp Courtney PMO. “But, it allowed for a more realistic scenario when the suspects ventured into jurisdiction that we share with the Uruma P.D.”

Once the suspects landed on the beach, the scenario allowed them to drive through Camp Courtney into an area that has shared jurisdiction between PMO and Uruma P.D., where they were spotted attempting to bury weapons.

“In the scenario we responded to, we suspected and detained suspects who were trying to bury weapons they illegally brought onto Okinawa,” said Koichiro Maei, the security chief for Uruma P.D.

Once the suspects were apprehended by PMO and the Uruma P.D., they conducted a search of the area where they located weapons hidden in a civilian vehicle, and more weapons partially buried in the ground.

“I believe this training was successful,” said Linston, a native of San Antonio, Texas. “We’ve done training like this before with Uruma P.D., and we will continue to do so in the future. “